USA > California > Contra Costa County > History of Contra Costa County, California, including its geography, geology, topography, climatography and description; together with a record of the Mexican grants also, incidents of pioneer life; and biographical sketches of early and prominent settlers and representative men > Part 73
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Kansas was admitted for settlement in 1852-53, and an election ordered. To this new region what was known as an Emigrant Aid Society was dispatched from the Eastern States to control affairs; but at the first election the citizens rose to checkmate their movements, and thus carried the first, second and third elections. At the time politics ran high ; and being somewhat mixed in the Kansas Troubles, our subject, thinking " discretion to be the better part of valor," determined to leave for Cali- fornia ; therefore he sold his property to Dr. Alexander Marshall, during the early part of the year 1859, and commenced making preparations for moving to the Pacific shores in the Spring. Save six favorite negroes,
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whom he brought with his family to California, Mr. Rice disposed of all his possessions, and on April 28, 1859, left Independence, his train con- sisting of eight hundred and ninety head of cattle (mostly heifers), six wagons with four yoke of oxen to each, one ambulance for his family, thirty head of horses and mules, seventeen hired men and the six negroes. During the first part of their journey our voyagers began to make the acquaintance of the unfriendly elements, high waters and muddy trails being their companions. Near Lawrence, Kansas, some of the cattle were stolen ; on the North Platte, the cattle commenced to die ; they con- tinued to drop off throughout the distance. At the last-named place, five men from Michigan, travel-stained, foot-sore and weary, were added to the band by Mr. Rice, under contract. Time was given them to recuperate, and such is the gratitude of human nature, so soon as these ingrates had recruited, they stole away and have not been seen since. After the Thousand Springs valley was left, the journey was pleasant though arduous. The following curious circumstance Mr. Rice relates as having happened on the 6th July. The day was particularly hot as they entered Ice valley, a small vale coated with thick, luxuriant grass. On digging down about a foot, a layer of .pure ice was found, some five inches in thickness, a beneficent provision of nature that was quickly garnered and stored for several days in blankets. Our party, it should be mentioned, came by the Honey Lake route, where they learned that the previous ยท season in California had been a dry one, and that therefore it would be expedient to leave all cattle on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, which, after branding was done, those remaining (one hundred and ninety head and two valuable mules had died on the plains) were driven to Willow creek, and left in charge of Archibald Rice, the eldest son of our subject. While there, Mrs. Rice, their son Thomas, and two of the hired men, were prostrated from sickness, which caused a detention of twelve days, while, it may be remarked, that from this place Mr. Rice assisted several people to cross the plains, with the promise of payment in Cali- fornia, but he has never seen the borrowers nor their money since. Here he parted with several of his hired men. Our hero now started to cross the mountains. What a flood of recollections must these few words bring to the mind of he who has traveled this route! With but four wagons and the " family coach," some cattle, and a man or two, the difficulty of climb- ing the Sierras was surmounted; the descent on the western side was soon made, and the declining hours of the month of September found them in the valley of the Sacramento. He proceeded to Napa, and for one year rented and cultivated a farm belonging to Ex-Governor Boggs, of Missouri, while, with his family, he resided in the house of John Seawell. His son, Archibald, who, it may be recollected, was left at Willow creek with the cattle, had had some difficulty with Indians, who drove off a portion of
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the stock ; these he recovered, however, and moved them to Honey Lake, where they remained until the month of May. After putting in his crop at Napa, and placing three daughters and a son at school, Mr. Rice traveled for the remainder of that season in quest of a place whereon to permanently locate, while he received intimation of depredations among his cattle on the east side of the Sierra Nevada. Notwithstanding severe impediments from snow and other causes, he quickly proceeded to Honey Lake, arriving during the last days of April, where he found his stock much reduced in quality and quantity ; therefore he drove the remainder to Big Meadows, Plumas county, his son being left behind to collect stragglers. In August they were all transferred to Fresno county, to a pasturage that had been selected for them. In April, five of the six negroes that Mr. Rice had brought across the plains with him, left him, and afterwards, the last, with his son, wished also to sever his connection with his benefactor. The son being detained, Mr. Rice was served with a writ of habeas corpus calling upon him to show cause ; he was brought to trial at once, the case was dismissed, and the negro mulcted in costs. October 11, 1860, our subject purchased the San Miguel Homestead, in Contra Costa county, near the village of Walnut Creek, from Ygnacio Sibrian, whither he moved his family on the 18th of October, 1860. In 1862, he built a school-house, hired a teacher, took in a few scholars, and opened a private family school-just such an one as he had started in Missouri. It was kept open until his family had received a sound train- ing. One he sent to the Golden Gate Academy, where he graduated. For the first two years our subject leased his farm-afterwards he took pos- session himself, and farmed it until the Fall of 1880. Henceforward Mr. Rice's life has been that of a good father and right-thinking man. He has seen all his children placed above want, in different portions of the State, and in 1871, with the partner of his joys and sorrows, and youngest daughter, he paid a visit to Missouri, on their return halting at Salt Lake, en route to their home in Contra Costa. Another journey was under- taken in 1880, when a grand reunion of his friends and relatives was had, to the intense satisfaction of all. On his return in the same year, to his ranch, he gave up farming, rented a portion of his land, and at present keeps enough to raise a few cattle to " keep his hand in," as it were. Of what nature of man Mr. Rice is, his history informs us. After an active life of more than ordinary length, he is now enjoying well-earned quietude in one of the most beautiful homes of Contra Costa. He married, Feb- ruary 26, 1840, Louisa Ish, a native of Missouri, by whom he has had : Archibald, born March 30, 1841, died December 24, 1879; William Ish, born July 4, 1842, residing in Ventura county ; Xarrissa, (now Mrs. Wm. G. Hill) ; Arnetta, (now Mrs. John G. Hill); Thomas Alexander, born January 30, 1849, residing in Ventura county; Octavia, (now Mrs.
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Thomas W. Sturges) ; Coffee Adams, born March 25, 1855, residing in Ventura county.
WILLIAM B. RODGERS .- Was born in Ripley county, Indiana, June 26, 1827, and is the son of Samuel and Catharine Rodgers. When fifteen years of age he accompanied his parents to Burlington, Des Moines county, Iowa, where our subject attended school during the Winter months, and farmed in the Summer. In 1846 he proceeded to Van Buren county, in the same State, and there served his apprenticeship to the cooper's trade; in that year, also, taking the most important step of his life, in marrying Miss Elizabeth Shaffer. By the year 1852 the wild shibboleth of gold had taken the world by storm. Mr. Rogers, too, was captivated by the seductive sound, and that Spring essayed the arduous journey across the plains to California, arriving in Drytown, Amador county, October 20, 1852. To let the grass grow under his feet, is not Mr. Rogers' motto. He at once opened a laundry in Drytown, and, as a criterion of the prices then raging, he received as much as "four bits" for washing a white shirt. In the Fall of 1854 he erected the Iowa Hotel in Empire City. A year later he removed to San Ramon valley, Contra Costa county, and in the Summer of 1856, commenced farming- a pursuit he engaged in until the year 1867. Mr. Rodgers then took up his residence in San Francisco, where he embarked in the draying busi- ness. From 1870 to 1878, he was in the San Francisco Police Force, where he was widely known as an energetic and efficient officer, and in 1880, he came to Walnut Creek and erected his present hotel-one of the very best houses of entertainment on the Pacific Coast. He married, secondly, in August, 1870, Elizabeth Anderson, by whom there is no issue. He has two sons, William and Walter, offsprings by his first wife, who died in 1868.
JOHN C. ROUSE .- This subject, one of the substantial citizens of Antioch and Contra Costa, is a native of Watertown, New York, where he was born June 20, 1828, and in his native place worked on a farm and received a common school education. January 3, 1853, being then twenty-five years of age, Mr. Rouse started via Panama to seek his fortune in the Golden State, and arrived in San Francisco, February 3d of the same year. His first venture was in the mines of Calaveras county, where he sojourned a short time, and then moved to Tuolumne county, where he was engaged in mining for eight years, with moderate success. April, 1861, Mr. Rouse came to this county, and was employed as foremnan of the Pittsburg coal mine at Somersville for some three years ; then engaged in the hotel business at the same place as proprietor of the Pittsburg Hotel for another three years, and again turned his attention to inining, and worked the Central mine for five years. In 1876 Mr. Rouse, in
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partnership with G. W. Hawxhurst, opened the Empire mine, located at Judsonville. This company changed in 1877 by Messrs. Judson & Belshaw buying an interest, and the retirement of Mr. Hawxhurst. They built and equipped a railroad from Antioch to the mine. In 1881 Mr. Rouse purchased the Central mine, and extended their railroad to the same, and at the present time Mr. Rouse is the resident manager of the company of Bel- shaw & Co., now extensively engaged in taking out coal from the Central and Empire mines. A description of the same will be found in the body of this work. Mr. Rouse is also the senior member of the firm of Rouse, Forman & Co., an extensive lumber firm of Antioch. Mr. Rouse is one of Antioch's most substantial and respected citizens. In 1872 Mr. Rouse paid a visit to his old home, and was united in marriage, Feb- ruary 21st of that year, to Miss Allie Nicholas, a native of New York State.
AZRO RUMRILL .- Born in Pittsford, Rutland county, Vermont, March 15, 1831. When very young he was taken by his parents to Jefferson county, New York, where he resided until he reached thirteen years of age, when he was placed in school at Oswego. On the completion of his studies he joined his father in Hartford, Washington county, Wis- consin, where he engaged in farming until the Spring of 1853, when he started for California, sailing on the 13th April, from New York, in the steamship El Dorado to the Isthmus, and thence to San Francisco in the Columbus, arriving May, 24, 1853. He next went to Watsonville, Santa Cruz county, where he joined a brother, who had preceded him, in farming. In the Fall of 1854, he found his way to the mines, where he passed the Winter. Afterwards he engaged in agricultural pursuits in different parts of California until October, 1856, when he settled in Contra Costa county, first locating on a parcel of land about a quarter of a mile from his present ranch, which latter, comprising sixty acres, he purchased in 1860. Mr. Rumrill has been a School Trustee for a dozen years, while, in 1877, he was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, a function he discharges, at the present writing, with much ability. Married in San Francisco, April 9, 1864, Maria Fannon, a native of Ireland, and has : Calista, Julia, Mary, Harriet, and Herbert C.
FARMER SANFORD .- The subject of our memoir was born in Atchison county, Missouri, February 2, 1851. When he was but a child of two years, his parents emigrated across the plains, arrived in Contra Costa county in September, 1852, and first located about one mile from the present site of the town of Walnut Creek. Here his parents resided for one year, and then moved to Martinez, where they remained for two years. His father next moved to, and purchased the hotel at Lafayette, where he followed hotel-keeping until 1859. His parents then embarked
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in farming. Mr. Sanford was educated in the common schools of Contra Costa county, and may be termed a pioneer, as here he has spent his childhood, youth, and now, in the prime of manhood, is one of Walnut Creek's most enterprising business men. In 1878, he located in Walnut Creek, and purchased his present property, and opened his livery and feed stable, located on Main street, near Rogers' Hotel. He is also the present efficient Constable of Township Number Two, having been elected in 1879. Was united in marriage in Concord, September 12, 1877, to Miss Kitty Downing, a native of California. They have one child, a daughter, Evelyn D.
GEORGE H. SCAMMON. - The subject of this sketch is a native of Penobscot county, Maine, born in August, 1834, and was there educated; he resided there until coming to California. Sailing from New York, via Panama, Mr. Scammon arrived in San Francisco in the latter part of October, 1859, and immediately came to Contra Costa county, and first located on the place where now is the town of Walnut Creek-at that time there being but one house in that now thriving village. There he resided for two years, and then moved to Somersville and engaged in the hotel business, which he has followed for twenty years, and is at present the proprietor of the Pittsburg Hotel. Mr. Scammon was united in marriage, in Somersville, February 16, 1864, to Mrs. Jane E. Lee, a native of Bridgeport, Nova Scotia; she died December 7, 1880. His family consists of three children (Jennie, Edith and George) and three step- children (A. W. Lee, Robert L. Lee and John Lee).
ALBERT SHERBURNE .- Was born September 4, 1833, in the town of Bennington, Gennesee (now Wyoming) county, New York, where he re- sided until seventeen years of age. In 1840, he removed to Kennebec county, Maine, where he received most of his education at the public schools, and the Maine Wesleyan Seminary of Kent's Hill in that county. He then entered a woolen mill and learned the manufacturer's trade, which he followed until January, 1852, acting as overseer during the last four years of the time. January 2, 1852, he left Maine for California, via New York, whence he sailed January 10th, on the steamer Ohio for Chagres, where he landed about January 20th. He ascended the Chagres river in an open boat to Gorgona; thence to Panama, where he took Walker's line and arrived January 22d. On January 28th, he sailed in the bark Philander for San Francisco, and after a passage of seventy days, landed in Acapulco. Here he took passage in the steamer Win- field Scott, and arrived in San Francisco April 28, 1852. There he re- mained only one day, when he left for Placerville, El Dorado county, and engaged in mining, an occupation he followed most of the time until May,
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1856. May 21st, of that year, he arrived, with his family, in Contra Costa county, at Martinez, and thence proceeded to the San Ramon val- ley, first settling on a farm owned by his brother near the old Cox place. In the Fall of 1857, he took up a stock range in Alameda county, where. he remained until 1861, when he sold out and removed to Sycamore valley, in this county, where he resided until 1870, in which year he disposed of his farm and came to Walnut Creek, where he conducted a mercantile establishment until December 20, 1879, when his store and contents were consumed by fire. He again rebuilt on the same ground and now owns the store occupied by Mr. Gambs, and the saloon conducted by Mr. Burpee, Mr. Sherburne's son-in-law.
HON. DAVID N. SHERBURNE .- This well known resident of Sycamore valley, and at present a member of the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa county, is a native of Bennington, Wyoming county, New York, born October 14, 1822. When twelve years of age our subject accompanied by an uncle went to Kendall county, Illinois, where he resided until 1841. He then proceeded to the lead mines of Galena, same State, where he embarked in mining and resided until 1849. In the Spring of 1850, he, with four companions, went down the Mississippi river to St. Louis, there purchased two ponies apiece, and started on horseback via Independence and the old emigrant route to seek their fortunes in the gold fields of California. After a weary journey and many hardships, he arrived in Placerville, August 26, 1850. There he prosecuted mining until his coming to Contra Costa county in 1856. Mr. Sherburne first settled on what he supposed to be Government land, and engaged in stock-raising for a few years. Needing more room for stock, he sold out his claim in Contra Costa county; he thereupon took his departure for Alameda county, and there resided until 1859, when he once more returned to this county and purchased his present ranch of six hundred and forty-seven acres, three miles southeast of Danville, and engaged in general farming. Mr. Sherburne is a man. of more than ordinary ability. Since becoming a resident of Contra Costa county he has been called upon to fill some of the most important offices in the gift of its residents. In 1865 our sub- ject was elected to the office of county Supervisor, a position he filled for four successive terms, and in 1879 was elected to the State Legislature, defeating in the contest another of Contra Costa's well known men, viz., Josiah Wills, of Lone Tree valley. In 1880 Mr. Sherburne was again elected a member of the county Board of Supervisors, an office he now fills with credit to himself and satisfaction to the people. He has never married, and now resides with his widowed sister in his beautiful home in Sycamore valley.
James Stewart
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GEORGE ATWOOD SHERMAN .- Is the son of Charles and Roxana (Thrall) Sherman, and was born in Delaware county, Ohio, February 17, 1845. Here he received his education and resided until 1863, when he accompanied his parents to California, and resided in El Dorado county until 1865, in the Spring of which year they removed to Contra Costa county, the subject of this sketch finishing his education at the Platt School in Benicia. In July, 1870, he embarked in the hotel business in the old Morgan House in Martinez, which he continued until July, 1876, when he moved to Oakland for a short time. In December of that year he purchased from G. A. Lawrence his present drug business in Martinez, with which he has combined the agency of Wells, Fargo & Co. Married, April 3, 1872, Elnora McAdow, a native of Ohio, by whom he has two surviving children : Raymond H. and Lottie L.
BENJAMIN SHREVE .- This well-known pioneer of Contra Costa county was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, August 2, 1828, and there received his education, in part, at the common schools, and afterwards at the Waterford academy. In 1850, he went to the southern portion of Kentucky, where he was employed in teaching school. In 1852, he started from Smithland, in company with a party of Kentuckians, to cross the plains to California, and after an uneventful trip of six months, arrived at Placerville, in September of the same year, and later in the Fall, came to Contra Costa county, when he stayed a short time in Ygna- cio valley. He then proceeded to Oregon, where he remained until May, 1853, when he returned to the mines on the Middle Fork of the Ameri- can river. After a short stay there he concluded to return East, and started for San Francisco with that intention, but passing through Contra Costa county he was employed to teach school, near Lafayette, and taught there during the Winters of 1853 and '54, and in 1855, began the mer- chandise trade near his present place of business, in connection with which he ran a hotel. In 1857, Mr. Shreve petitioned Congress to establish a post office at his place, and then gave it the name of Centerville, but owing to there being a post-office of the same name in the State, had to change it, when he named it after the great French General, Lafayette. Mr. Shreve then moved his store some half-mile farther up the valley, to where now stands the town of Lafayette, and in 1857, received his appointment as postmaster and mail agent, which office he still holds, it being now his twenty-fourth year of the trust, being probably one of the oldest post- masters in the State. In connection with his post-office and store, he farms a ranch of two hundred and fifty acres adjoining the town. Was united in marriage in Lafayette, August 17, 1854, to Miss Adeline Gor- ham, a native of Illinois. By this union they have two children : Milton and Fred.
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H. S. SHUEY .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, is the son of John and Lucinda (Stowe) Shuey, and was born in Adams county, Illinois, August 17, 1840. His father went to Oregon in 1847, making the trip over the plains and Rocky Mountains with the earliest emigrants. He returned to California in the Spring of 1850, via the Isthmus of Panama, and went back the same year to Illinois. In 1856 he made the third trip to California, with his family, via the Isthmus, and it was then that our subject first arrived, the date being May 22, 1856. For the first two years he resided with his parents in Moraga valley, when he removed to Fruitvale for the purpose of attending the Deveant School, now the State University. Afterwards, he commenced the battle of life on his own account, and for two years was engaged in mining. Returning from the mines, he was variously employed until 1867, when he commenced running a wagon and selling goods through the country, a class of business he has greatly increased and still continues. In 1873 he opened a store in the thriving village of Walnut Creek, in partner- ship with his brother, M. M. Shuey; but in 1878 the association was severed, since when he has been alone in business. Married, July 2, 1868, Miss Geneora Dougherty, of Lafayette, who was born December 17, 1850. By this union there are seven children, viz: Virgil M., born No- vember 8, 1869 ; Nettie F., born December 14, 1871; Mary E., born December 24, 1873; Morris H., born November 10, 1875 ; William A., born December 16, 1877 ; George, born February 10, 1880, and an infant son, born May 10, 1882.
ANTONIO PERRY SILVA .- The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, is a native of the Azores, where he was born in the year 1820, and resided until he was eighteen years of age. Subsequently he followed the life of a sailor, emigrated to America and prosecuted his calling, with fishing, until November, 1849, at which time he sailed from Boston for California, arriving in San Francisco, April 8, 1850. His first work was breaking rock on Telegraph Hill, his wages being five dollars per day-his food was prepared and eaten on the ground, his only cover- ing being a blanket. This job completed he commenced lightering from vessels in the harbor, an occupation he followed until September of that year. By this time he had accumulated two hundred dollars ; this sum he buried underneath his tent, but thinking the hiding place insecure, he removed his treasure into the custody of a bank-in three days the bank was declared insolvent. Mr. Silva now engaged to proceed to Bodega, Sonoma county, for lumber at seventy-five dollars per month, but only remaining one trip at this work, he shipped on a vessel at five dollars per day. After a spell of this life our subject moved to the southern mines, where he remained until January, 1851, finally returning to San Francisco
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on foot. He next went to Gold Bluff, where he lost everything, and in July, 1852, returned to San Francisco, in the same month, coming to San Pablo, where he took up his present residence, finally becoming its owner by purchase in 1857. Such is the life of hardship passed by Mr. Silva. We are happy to be enabled to state that by his strong will to conquer in the struggle he is now living a prosperous and contented life. He married in 1860, Inez Dollie Fraia, a native of the Azores, who died in 1871. By this union he has: Frank, Mary, Antonia, Joseph, Eris. Married, secondly, in 1872, Mary Dolie Fraia, and has one child, Maggie Louisa.
FRANCIS M. SMITH .- A native of Contra Costa county, and, we believe, the first American male child born within the present limits of the county; is the son of N. B. Smith, now one of the oldest living pioneer men of the State. Our subject was born January 25, 1848, and in early life received a common school education, with afterwards a course in a busi- ness college in San Francisco. He then engaged in farming, in which he continued until October 12, 1879, when he moved to Martinez, and opened his present place of business of dealer in fruit and produce, in connection with which he conducts a real estate and insurance office. Mr. Smith is still enjoying all the pleasures of single blessedness.
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